Gulper Catfish - Help eating frozen foods please

[Gosu]

So I've just obtained 3 gulper catfish about 6" each or so. I use to have 4" ones but they died from starving themselves to death. I learned that if the catfish won't eat and it looks like it's about to die and you've tried everything possible, just feed live food.

So, I have started out my new trio feeding them goldfish and want to convert to frozen fish fillets, scallops, shrimp, etc. as soon as possible. I have tried soaking them in garlic and tied a string to shrimp, and hand feeding. Nothing is working.

My next step will be to starve them for a week and then dangle frozen whole anchovies or silversides in front of them and hope to god they eat them. I will then slow give them shrimp and fish fillets. All of this frozen seafood will be stuffed with pellets.

If NONE of this works. What is the last resort? Feed goldfish?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[kno4te]

Try to starve a bit longer than a week and it might work.

If absolutely unable to get off of live foods then try feeder guppies, convicts, minnows, or platys. Better to breed ur self as it can be controlled and screened/qt’d for disease. Anything from any lfs is questionable and needs to be likely quarantined (probably a good amount of time) and medicated.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Try to starve a bit longer than a week and it might work.

If absolutely unable to get off of live foods then try feeder guppies, convicts, minnows, or platys. Better to breed ur self as it can be controlled and screened/qt’d for disease. Anything from any lfs is questionable and needs to be likely quarantined (probably a good amount of time) and medicated.

Agreed, see if you can handfeed them a couple live cichlids

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Starting from good condition, these can easily fast for a few months. Even up to 6 months has been reported.

So I would try to get them to eat frozen by fasting them as long as it takes. It shouldn't take usually longer than a few weeks, maybe a month. Tricks like having a thawed whole bait fish on a string dangling in front of a powerhead or filter outlet can help.

 

[Gosu]

So I dangled a headless shrimp in their gulper cave last night and at one point in time the biggest gulper took the shrimp into his mouth but also caught the string. So it was pulling the string along with it and eventually spit out the whole thing. Not like an arowana where they just rip the meat from the string.

I will try to starve longer than a week and get some cichlids to dangle in front of them and then some frozen whole fish. Will keep you guys posted. Thank you.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

The string should hold the bait just barely and at the lightest tug should separate with or without a part of the bait remaining on the string. It may take practice. It may be harder with shrimp as these have tougher and stringier flesh. Small baitfish is more tender.

It's normal for gulpers and other predators to mouth new foods first and spit out. It's an excellent sign. Eventually they will swallow.

 

[Gosu]

The string should hold the bait just barely and at the lightest tug should separate with or without a part of the bait remaining on the string. It may take practice. It may be harder with shrimp as these have tougher and stringier flesh. Small baitfish is more tender.

It's normal for gulpers and other predators to mouth new foods first and spit out. It's an excellent sign. Eventually they will swallow.

Yeah I will practice tying the string, I think some other people with gulpers have trained their gulpers to eat frozen just by starving and throwing food in the tank no? Is it just because of luck?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Yeah I will practice tying the string, I think some other people with gulpers have trained their gulpers to eat frozen just by starving and throwing food in the tank no? Is it just because of luck?

Yes, they did. I did too. As a rule, this works. You may or may not need to do anything extra. And it's not only a fish that can be a stubborn exception. Sometimes a keeper can be too... less patient, or more caring and nurturing, you name it

 

[Gosu]

Yeah my first three gulpers I had, just wouldn’t eat frozen. I starved them for 5 weeks. Then they said, “I’d rather die than eat your frozen crap!” And then.. they died..

 

[Gosu]

Another question. I have the gulpers in a 75 gallon. They hide in their pot all day. I regularly see them only come out only at night time, sometimes not even. I have a Fluval FX6 and two Tetra Power Filter 60’s and two powerheads for surface agitation.

Could the current be too strong for the fish? Will this stress them out? The water is crystal clear but I want them to come out and play more. The feeder fish appear to be continuously blown around but that’s just because they are small.

I want enough aeration to keep my gulpers healthy but yet I don’t want the tank to feel like a whirlpool.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.